


Inbound Flight

by Demerite



Series: Trektober 2019 [2]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Commercial Airline, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bad Flirting, Established Relationship, Flirting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-02
Updated: 2019-10-02
Packaged: 2020-11-09 02:29:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20846042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Demerite/pseuds/Demerite
Summary: “Want me to show you my cockpit? I’m sure I could arrange a private tour.”“Does that line ever actually work on anyone, Captain?”-In which Bones still doesn't like flying, and Jim tries to help.





	Inbound Flight

**Author's Note:**

> Aisha graciously let me borrow Jim, Bones, and really everyone else from her [Flying High](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14782152/chapters/34189857) series, which if you haven't read, what on earth are you doing with your life? 
> 
> This is technically for the Day 2 Prompt 'Mile High Club' but only barely, which you can tell from the tags. There is no sex in this fic. Sorry!

By the time they level out around 35,000 feet and Jim’s made the usual announcements, he’s already itching to go back and check on Bones. He’s not happy about having to leave him, much less so about it being during takeoff, which is one of the worst times, but at least this way they actually get to go on their vacation.

The alternative had been to hang around at the terminal until another pilot could be found, which, considering how busy and over-scheduled everyone was already, would have taken hours, if not days, if not cancelling the flight entirely, and Jim wasn’t about to let that happen when he didn’t have to.

So when they’d run into Pavel and a few cabin crew that Jim didn’t know outside the gate, it had taken Jim only a few minutes to get the story from them. The scheduled co-pilot had been a no-show, and now they were facing cancellation, or at least a serious delay, and a horde of angry passengers, not to mention the shit they’d cop from higher up.

And then Jim had spied Hikaru, leaning over the barrier to talk to one of the ground staff, a worried look on his face as she shook her head in response to whatever he was asking.

_Damnit. _Jim had thought viciously. He really was going to do exactly what he’d been considering since he’d heard about the need for a co-pilot. _Damnit, damnit, damnit._

He’d told Bones first, and he’d tried not to hate himself for the expressions that crossed his face, the flash of anxiety, followed by the weary acceptance.

“Go.” Bones had said, and Jim swept in to kiss his cheek.

“I love you, I’ll come back and see you the moment we level out.” He’d promised, and with a, “Look after your dad!” thrown in Jo’s direction, he started off through the crowd of grumpy passengers towards Hikaru and the rest of the crew. They’re going on this vacation, even if Jim has to fly the plane himself.

When he’d said the to Bones the night before, he hadn’t meant it quite so literally.

Jim opens his mouth to ask Hikaru if he’s got this for a few minutes, but he doesn’t even start speaking before Hikaru cuts him off.

“Yes, go.” He says firmly, “I’ll call if I need you. Just tell me if you’re gonna try to talk him into a quickie in the staff bathroom.”

Jim flips him off, already slipping out of his seat, and Hikaru’s laughter follows him out of the cockpit.

He manages to scrape together a modicum of dignity, so he doesn’t run down the aisle to Bones’ seat, but it’s a near thing. Jo’s still in her seat, but when she looks up to see Jim coming, she stands and wanders down the aisle away from them, leaving them a moment of privacy. Jim’s unsurprised to see that they’ve already given away the seat that was supposed to be his.

“Hey.” He says, settling into Jo’s recently vacated seat.

Bones looks up from where he’s been very obviously not reading his medical journal, and Jim feels another guilty twinge at the thinly-veiled anxiety on his face.

“Hey.” He replies, and he nearly sounds normal, but Jim knows just how hard he’s working to fake it, and it breaks his heart, just a little bit.

“I’m sorry.” Jim says, because he is. It’s not enough, he knows it’s not enough, but he reaches out with both hands and wraps them around Bones’ left hand, squeezing gently.

Bones sighs quietly, “Least this way we still get our vacation.” He points out, but his nonchalant tone cracks halfway through.

Jim leans against him, as much as he can in the seat, “Hikaru’s got things under control.” He says, as much to reassure Bones as to remind himself that someone he trusts is in the cockpit. Even after so many years piloting, he still finds it hard to relax and let someone else fly. “I’m not going anywhere until I absolutely have to.”

“I’d rather you didn’t have to at all.” Bones mutters it half under his breath, barely loud enough for Jim to hear.

“Yeah, me too.” He says lightly, “But I suspect Jo will want her seat back eventually.”

Bones glances behind them, to where Jo is engaged in animated conversation with the two young children of a businesswoman who is occasionally glancing up from her slim computer, presumably to ensure that the strange sixteen-year-old in artfully ripped jeans and metallic purple combat boots isn’t about to kidnap her children.

“Doubt it.” Bones points out, and Jim chuckles.

“Well then,” Jim says, “We’ve got until Jo gets bored with entertaining small children.” He wants so desperately to just wrap himself around Bones and hold on until the plane lands again, but he’s in uniform, and he’s still on duty, and he can’t do any of that, and it’s unfair, it’s so unfair, but there’s not really anything he can do about it, and he needs to stop feeling sorry for himself and focus on Bones.

What he needs, is a way to distract him. That’s what Jim usually does; finds some interesting topic of conversation, or some bad joke, or some medical concept he’s unfamiliar with that he can ask Bones about, because Bones will focus entirely on the mini-lecture he subsequently gives Jim on the topic, and not on his own fear. Of course, now that he needs something, nothing’s coming to his mind apart from things that are _entirely _unhelpful.

Things like…

“So,” Jim leans towards Bones a little, a bright grin on his face, “Come here often?”

Bones gives him a look that implies he’s considering smacking him over the head with the medical journal still held in one hand. “Not if I can help it.” He tries to keep his tone steady and serious, but there’s a glint of what might be amusement in his eye.

Jim’s grin gets brighter, “Want me to show you my cockpit?” He asks, leaning in a little bit more, “I’m sure I could arrange a _private tour_.” He drops a wink in there, and Bones looks at him like he’s insane for a moment, before letting out a low huff of laughter.

“Does that line ever actually work on anyone, Captain?” He says, now very clearly trying to contain his amusement with Jim’s antics.

“Well,” Jim makes a face like he’s actually considering the question, “It worked on my husband.”

“Well, he sounds like a damn fool.”

“Oh really?”

“Yeah. I mean, what’s he doing letting a guy you like out of his sight?”

“Gross.” Jo announces, leaning over the back of Jim’s seat. “You’re in my spot.” She informs Jim.

“You’ll live.” Bones tells her, and she rolls her eyes at him.

“Captain.” Uhura approaches from the front of the cabin. She makes eye contact with Jim and tips her head minutely towards the cockpit. Jim nods.

*

“So.” Hikaru says as Jim slides back into his seat and checks the controls, “He didn’t go for the quickie idea?”

“Screw you.” Jim mutters back good-naturedly.

“No thanks, you’re married.”

“I am.” Jim says, and he can’t help the grin that spreads over his face, even when Hikaru rolls his eyes and makes disgusted noises at him.

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I know this doesn't ENTIRELY work with the continuity of FH, sorry! 
> 
> Want to know more about Trektober? Click [HERE](https://aishahiwatari.tumblr.com/post/188059640163/trektober) for the info post on Aisha's tumblr, or [HERE](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/Trektober2019) for the AO3 collection to read our fic. 
> 
> Come yell at me on [Tumblr](https://demerite.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
